High school students worried about job market
Special to the Herald-Guide -
Oct 25, 2012

By Alissa Cavaretta

These past few weeks have been filled with presidential debates, with each candidate telling the citizens of the United States that they will create more jobs if they are elected. When May rolls around, Destrehan and Hahnville students will truly begin their adult lives, and some may be joining the military, entering the work force, attending a vocational school or planning on graduating from college.

But despite the promises of both presidential candidates, students in St. Charles are still worried about their futures.

"Majors, such as education or any of the sciences provide guarantee for success in acquiring a job, but majors in liberal arts are more of a struggle," Hahnville senior John Brown said. "There will always be a need for doctors and teachers, which keep these fields always in high demand."

Anna Busalacchi, a high school senior, says that she has changed her mind about what college she plans on attending and what she plans on majoring in based off of future job availability.

"I originally wanted to go to school to be a physician’s assistant, but I have been fearful of not being accepted into PA school due to the lack of them in Louisiana," she said. "Recently, I have decided to become a nurse practitioner, which worries me because I know that I could find a position for a registered nurse much easier."

Busalacchi and other students have looked into potentially double majoring in college to give them more outlets after they graduate. Senior Briar Falgoust plans on majoring in both neuroscience and theatre at Tulane University because of all of the possible job opportunities that are accessible in both fields.

"With a degree in neuroscience I would be able to attend medical school or do lab work, and I could always do shows on the side," Falgoust said.

Nine out of ten students predict that their chances of getting a job pertaining to their future goals ranks at a seven on a scale of increasing difficulty between one and ten.

"Of course you have to do well in school in order to land a good job; employers will always look at your credentials. But, it also comes down to how you may act when it doesn’t come down to the books," Falgoust said. "Depending on the job, employers may look at connections in the field, communication skills, common sense, etc. People should always as well-rounded as possible in order to prepare for the future."

Unlike Falgoust, junior Grace Planchet does not think that getting a job straight out of college will be difficult.

"There are many engineering opportunities throughout the country, so it should be pretty easy to get a job as an engineer," she said. "The problem is the economy. After getting the job, how much will I have to worry about future layoffs?"

Going to college or vocational school is a risk. There is a strong potential in getting a job after attending, but there is no guarantee that anyone will be able to maintain a job in their said field of study. That makes students’ final decisions about post-secondary education plans very difficult today.

According to The Huffington Post, half of college students are underpaid or unemployed after college graduation. Most students are encouraged to further their college debts and pursue their masters and doctorate.

"I feel that there should be a program in place to create more jobs for those who do go out and become more educated with a higher degree than just a bachelors," Busalacchi said.